Description
Object description
British probationary nurse with Voluntary Aid Detachment, British Red Cross at Barnstaple Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital, Barnstaple, GB, 1915; nurse served with Queen Alexandria's Imperial Military Nursing Service at Garrison Hospital, Colchester, GB, 6/1915-8/1916; served aboard HMHS Warilda in Mediterranean and English Channel, 8/1916-5/1917; served with 29th General Hospital in Salonika, Greece, 7/1917-6/1918; civilian worked for Army Canteen Inspection Board in GB, 1919
Content description
REEL 1 Background in GB, 1890-1914: question of lack of occupations for wealthy women and charity work; visits to Europe; reaction to outbreak of First World War, 8/1914. Aspects of period as probationary nurse with Voluntary Aid Detachment, British Red Cross at Barnstaple Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital, Barnstaple, GB, 1915: joining British Red Cross; attitude of upper class towards 'trained nurses'.
REEL 2 Continues: nursing experience and duties as probationary nurse; attitude towards work and hours worked; rules for female nurses dealing with male patients; recruitment of 'society girls' as army nurses.
REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of period as nurse with Queen Alexandria's Imperial Military Nursing Service at Garrison Hospital in Colchester, GB, 6/1915-8/1916: move to hospital; accommodation; background to promotion to sister; processing of wounded troops arriving from France; difficult relations with female colleague; relationship with patients.
REEL 4 Continues: degree of knowledge of war's progress; army regulations observed in hospital; parent's attitude towards her work; attitude towards Germans; reaction to learning of brother's death; rationing; availability of medical equipment and supplies; observing blackout.
REEL 5 Continues: Account of development of interest in the occult and spiritualism.
REEL 6 Continues: Memories of dealing with patient whilst still probationary nurse with Voluntary Aid Detachment, British Red Cross at Barnstaple Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital, Barnstaple, GB, 1915. Recollections of period as nurse aboard HMHS Warida in Mediterranean and English Channel, 8/1916-5/1917: selection for overseas service; parent's attitude towards overseas service; posting to hospital ship HMHS Warilda in Mediterranean.
REEL 7 Continues: six week period in Alexandria, Egypt prior to joining ship; degree of social life in Alexandria; relations between nurses and ship's officers; sailing for Salonika, Greece; duties on board; patient's medical problems.
REEL 8 Continues: memories of later conditions in Salonika, Greece; psychological conditions of troops in Salonika, Greece; rations in Salonika, Greece; lack of communication with family in GB; attempts to improve patients' morale.
REEL 9 Continues: relations with difficult patients; duties aboard ship in Mediterranean; return to GB with casualties; collection and treatment of casualties from Le Havre, France.
REEL 10 Continues: trench foot cases and their treatment; collection of patients from Dublin, Ireland; relations with Irish civilians; return of Salonika, Greece; visit to Stavros, Greece.
REEL 11 Continues: transfer from hospital ship to 29th General Hospital, Salonika. Recollections of period as nurse with Queen Alexandria's Imperial Military Nursing Service at 29th General Hospital in Salonika, Greece, 7/1917-6/1918: description of Salonika; accommodation and living conditions; clothing and rations.
REEL 12 Continues: coping with weather conditions; working hours; recreational activities; relations between male and female personnel; presence of prostitutes in Salonika; witnessing destruction of Salonika by fire.
REEL 13 Continues: attitude of troops towards conditions in Salonika; morale of troops; amusing story of nursing sister's treatment of Greek civilian spying on her whilst bathing; meeting with Prince Regent Alexander of Serbia; guarding of nurses by Serbian troops.
REEL 14 Continues: relations with Serbian troops; latrines; attitude towards nursing in Salonika; request to return to GB; contracting influenza in London, 1918; leaving army and decision to join Royal Navy.
REEL 15 Continues: applying to join Royal Navy. Aspects of period as civilian with Army Canteen Inspection Board in GB, 1919: background to obtaining role; duties inspecting canteens in Canadian Army camps in Epsom; organising food during victory parades in London.
REEL 16 Continues: story of encounter with horse; inspecting canteen at Guards Depot, Caterham; attitude of Guards and Canadian troops to end of First World War; opinion of Canadian troops; attitude towards end of First World War; attitude towards brief period with Royal Navy, 1918.